Chapter 179: Task of Support, Complete! 

The fierce battle in the sky erupted so quickly. Juri and Uesui Ryuwa engaged with all their strength. Juri brought endless swarms of insects and birds to life through her art, while Uesui unleashed every species of bee he had cultivated. They fought to a stalemate. 

Juri was highly skilled. Being captured by Zonken didn't imply weakness. Only a small number of people in the ninja world could face a monster like 'Susanoo.' In fact, Juri, who mastered the secret technique of 'Super Beast Imitating Drawing,' had always been one of the top talents in the former 'Root,' now 'Anbu.' 

As for Uesui Ryuwa, the last glimmer of the Uesui clan, his strength was undeniable. Being chosen by Bun'ya was proof of his power and reliability. 

Neither of them seemed to have the upper hand, and it was clear to all the onlookers that this battle could last for a long time unless someone else interfered. 

Suddenly, the Iwa ninjas began to move. 

Among them, one possessed the secret technique Ninja Art: Camouflage Concealment—a skill that transcended basic ninjutsu. It didn't belong to the five elemental attributes (water, fire, wind, lightning, and earth) but was a method of utilizing 'Yang' nature transformation, categorized as a secret technique. In Iwagakure, only a few ninjas had mastered it. 

During the Third Great Ninja War, Hatake Kakashi encountered an Iwa ninja using this very technique, who left him with a scar over his eye. At that time, Kakashi was already a Jonin, although not yet at his peak, which shows how dangerous this technique was. 

Now, an Iwa ninja using the Camouflage Concealment technique silently moved, intending to locate Juri and give Uesui Ryuwa the advantage. 

"Where do you think you're going?" 

A blade enveloped in wind slashed toward the Iwa ninja, nearly severing his neck. The cold, sharp edge that grazed his skin caused a cold sweat to break out on his back. He had barely avoided the fatal strike. 

"Uchiha?" 

Seeing the pair of scarlet eyes, the Iwa ninja was terrified, remembering his teacher's warning. The Camouflage Concealment technique was incredibly powerful, even against sensory-type ninjas, as most of them had to remain still while using their abilities. 

Thus, the technique was highly effective in combat. 

However, there was one exception: the Uchiha clan's Sharingan and the Hyuga clan's Byakugan. These two dojutsu could completely counter the Camouflage Concealment technique. His teacher had always advised him that when encountering one of these on the battlefield, it was best to abandon the technique and fight head-on instead. 

But he forgot another crucial rule. 

Be wary of the Sharingan. 

He locked eyes with Uchiha Chisao and, instead of immediately looking away, was momentarily lost in past memories. This slight hesitation gave Chisao the opening she needed. 

Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique. 

Don't underestimate Uchiha Chisao just because of her mastery of wind release and swordsmanship. She had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, and for Uchiha with this level of mastery, casting genjutsu was as natural as breathing. 

Before the Iwa ninja realized it, massive metal stakes had pinned his limbs down, and his vision turned a deep shade of red. He tried to disrupt his chakra flow to break the illusion, but in the face of Sharingan's ocular power, his efforts were futile. 

"How boring. I thought you'd be stronger." 

A voice filled with disappointment echoed in his ears, followed by an intense pain in his neck. The genjutsu world shattered, and reality returned to him—the setting sun, the dusty mountains, Uchiha Chisao's bloodied blade, and his headless body collapsing to the ground. 

So... I'm already dead? 

His last consciousness was swallowed by darkness as his head rolled across the ground. 

"How is that possible...?" 

The Iwa ninjas froze. 

The fight ended too quickly! Even though they weren't a fixed team, they knew each other well enough as comrades from the same village. They had a rough understanding of one another's strengths. 

Yet, their comrade, who mastered the Camouflage Concealment technique, had been effortlessly killed by a Konoha ninja. 

The speed of it all sent chills through their spines. 

It wasn't entirely their fault. During the Third Great Ninja War, internal conflicts in Konoha had sent the Uchiha clan to the Eastern Front to battle the Mist ninjas. Only Uchiha Obito had fought against Iwa ninjas. Because of this, the younger generation of Iwa ninjas only learned about the power of the Sharingan from their elders, but never truly experienced it—until now, with Uchiha Chisao. 

Now they witnessed firsthand the might of the Uchiha. 

Konoha's top clan wasn't one to be taken lightly! 

It's often said that the only ones who can take down an Uchiha are either the Senju or another Uchiha themselves. 

"Damn it!" 

Bun'ya's face changed dramatically. 

As a seasoned warrior, he understood the unpredictability of battle. No matter how things looked, the outcome was never certain until the end. But the overwhelming power displayed by Uchiha Chisao weighed heavily on him. 

Konoha's reinforcements had barely arrived, and already two Jonin from Iwa had been killed. Another had lost an arm, rendering them useless in the battle. Rinya's job was to protect Kurotsuchi, meaning Iwa was now down to only four Jonin. 

Uesui Ryuwa and Juri were still locked in a stalemate, while another Jonin struggled under the relentless assault of Ringo Yuuri's fierce lightning attacks. Meanwhile, Uchiha Chisao had her sights set on yet another Iwa Jonin. 

As for Bun'ya himself, he now faced Hatake Kakashi. 

The situation had deteriorated so quickly that even Bun'ya found it hard to regain his composure. What had once seemed like an opportunity to capture Yakushi Nonou had spiraled out of control. Now, there were only four Chunin left as their mobile force. 

But what good would they do at this point? Even the exhausted Nonou wasn't someone a few Chunin could easily defeat. Capturing her alive was now nothing more than a distant fantasy. 

"All units, the new priority is to kill the spy Zisu." 

Bun'ya's orders echoed through the battlefield. If capturing her was no longer possible, then killing her was the only option. Without the luxury of time for further explanation, he charged at Kakashi, whose blade crackled with lightning, making it too dangerous for Bun'ya to touch. 

Now, it was up to his subordinates to do their best. 

In the light of the setting sun, two groups of ninjas clashed fiercely in the valley between the two mountains. The Iwa ninjas abandoned their plan to capture Nonou, shifting their focus to killing her instead. Meanwhile, Konoha's reinforcements, limited in number, couldn't retreat while protecting Nonou. Their only hope was to eliminate the Iwa ninjas. 

Although Iwa had more numbers, Konoha's forces were clearly stronger. Uchiha Chisao and Ringo Yuuri were both dominating their battles. It was only a matter of time before they defeated their opponents. Meanwhile, Bun'ya found himself unable to gain the upper hand against Kakashi, who was just as strong as him. 

Uesui Ryuwa and Juri continued their duel without any sign of a clear victor. The four remaining Chunin surrounded Nonou, but she didn't engage them directly, instead using the terrain to evade and delay. She was running low on chakra, and if it ran out completely, she would be a sitting duck. 

But she could tell that Konoha had the upper hand. Without external interference, the Iwa ninjas were likely to lose. 

At this moment, her priority was survival. 

"Rinya." 

"No." 

"I haven't even finished my sentence!" 

"Miss Kurotsuchi, let's retreat together." 

Rinya said firmly. 

"Rinya, are you telling me to run away? If you join the fight, couldn't you kill Doctor Zisu?" 

Kurotsuchi spoke of killing with no hesitation. Nonou's words had made her realize the gravity of her responsibilities. She was here to capture a spy and shouldn't let personal feelings get in the way. 

"Yes, if I join now, we could likely kill her. But at the same time, you might be killed by the Konoha ninjas." 

Rinya didn't mince words. She bluntly stated the current situation. 

Rinya was a powerful warrior, not far below Bun'ya's level. If she joined the fight and helped the Chunin, they could likely take down Nonou. However, both Uchiha Chisao and Ringo Yuuri might disengage from their current fights and target Kurotsuchi. Both of their opponents were barely holding on. 

In other words, if Rinya acted, it could result in an even trade—Nonou for Kurotsuchi. 

This exchange made no sense to Rinya. Even if Nonou was important, Kurotsuchi was the granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage and showed incredible potential. She could be the future of Iwagakure. 

If something happened to Kurotsuchi, it could devastate the already aging Tsuchikage. 

"I see..." Kurotsuchi froze. 

If she intervened in the fight and teamed up with the four Chunin, there was a high chance they could take down Kabuto Yakushi. However, at the same time, Uchiha Chisao and Ringo Ameyuri might have to pay a price to shake off their opponents and go after Kurotsuchi. After all, their enemies were barely holding on under their attacks. 

In other words, if Linye made a move, the likely outcome would be a one-for-one exchange. 

Trading Kabuto Yakushi for Kurotsuchi. 

To Linye, this equation was clearly not worth it. Even if Kabuto was truly a walking priestess, Kurotsuchi, as the granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage, had shown extraordinary talent from a young age and was heavily relied upon by the Tsuchikage. She was potentially one of Iwagakure's future pillars. 

That's considering her long-term value. In the short term, if Kurotsuchi were to die, the impact on the aging Tsuchikage could be devastating... Linye didn't even want to imagine it. Right now, Iwagakure largely depended on the Third Tsuchikage's leadership! 

Without the Third Tsuchikage, 

The future of Iwagakure... didn't look promising at all! 

Kurotsuchi froze in place. 

She looked at Linye, "Linye, are you saying... I've become a burden?" 

"Lady Kurotsuchi, if it weren't for protecting you, I wouldn't be here. This mission's failure isn't on us. Captain Bun'ya made a wrong decision by not eliminating the target right away, leading to the situation we're in now." 

As Linye spoke, she firmly grabbed Kurotsuchi's shoulder. "Let's go, Lady Kurotsuchi! If we don't leave now, we might run out of time." Ignoring Kurotsuchi's resistance, Linye forcibly carried her away, rushing back the way they came. 

Bun'ya noticed Linye and Kurotsuchi's departure. 

In response, 

He felt no resentment, only a deep sense of relief. The mission's failure was one thing, and he would bear the responsibility. But if Kurotsuchi were harmed, and that affected the Tsuchikage's health, no amount of death could redeem him! 

However, 

"Is there no hope?" 

Bun'ya used the Fist Rock Technique to push Kakashi back. His eyes quickly scanned the battlefield, and in the light of the setting sun, he saw the dire situation his side was in. A deep sense of guilt and heartache surged within him. 

There was no turning this around! 

"Boom!" 

Thunder roared in the valley as Ringo Ameyuri swung her Thunder Blade, Fang, cleaving her opponent in half. The violent lightning turned her enemy into a charred, unrecognizable lump. "Sneaking around like a rat, how annoying." 

After defeating her enemy, Ringo Ameyuri sighed in satisfaction. 

But when she remembered that Uchiha Chisao had one more kill than her, her eyes filled with murderous intent. She set her sights on Kamizuru Bifū, who was locked in a fierce battle with Jūri. Her gaze, filled with a beast-like desire for blood, sent chills down Kamizuru Bifū's spine. 

At the same time, Bun'ya let out a long sigh, knowing that this mission was a complete failure. 

"Retreat, Bifū, retreat immediately! The mission has failed. Everyone, fall back!" 

As he spoke, Bun'ya had already begun retreating. His hands moved quickly to form seals, and in an instant, he refined a large amount of chakra, unleashing one of his best Earth Release techniques. 

Earth Release: Earth Rock Spikes! 

This technique, similar to Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear and Earth Release: Rising Stone Spears, attacked enemies with sharp rocks. The difference was in the seals used, and it wasn't about which was stronger—it just so happened that Bun'ya had learned the Earth Rock Spikes technique. 

Sharp rock spears erupted from the ground, attacking not only Kakashi but also Uchiha Chisao and Ringo Ameyuri. The precision of his Earth Release control was so impressive that even Kakashi had to admire it. 

The Iwagakure shinobi, upon receiving the retreat order, reacted swiftly. Or rather, they were already mentally prepared to retreat. 

They weren't foolish; they knew they had lost to Konoha. Continuing to fight might allow them to hold out until reinforcements from the border defense or other directions arrived, but it could also lead to their complete annihilation at the hands of the Konoha shinobi. 

At this point, 

Given Captain Bun'ya's cautious nature, a retreat order was inevitable. 

The Iwagakure shinobi retreated like a receding tide. 

Uchiha Chisao and Ringo Ameyuri, battle-hungry maniacs, shattered the rock spears in front of them and were about to give chase when Kakashi called out, "Chisao, Ameyuri, calm down. Don't forget our mission. We're not here to fight to the death with Iwagakure. There will be plenty of chances to fight later..." 

These words went in one ear and out the other. The two were in no mood to let the Iwagakure shinobi go. 

"...You two, don't forget Lord Sōgen's orders." 

Seeing no other choice, Kakashi had to play his trump card. Watching Uchiha Chisao and Ringo Ameyuri halt in their tracks, he breathed a sigh of relief. These problem children were tough to handle! 

Luckily, Lord Sōgen's orders could still keep them in check. 

"Lady Yakushi." 

With Chisao and Ameyuri calming down, Kakashi turned to Yakushi Nonō, who was leaning against the rock wall, breathing heavily. He approached and asked, "Are you alright?" 

"I've eaten too many soldier pills." 

Nonō replied briefly. 

Most shinobi knew the consequences of consuming too many soldier pills. While it wasn't life-threatening, it did lead to temporary exhaustion, making it difficult to walk or fight. The duration of these effects varied based on individual constitution and the pill's quality. 

"By the way, you really came to rescue me and not to silence me, right?" 

Nonō's blunt question caught Kakashi off guard, but he quickly answered with honesty: "In order to protect the village's secrets, if rescuing you was hopeless, we were indeed tasked with silencing you. However, the Hokage also instructed us to bring you back alive if at all possible." 

"I see. For the next two days, I won't be able to fight. It'll be up to you to protect me. But with Jūri here, I think we'll have a good chance of safely leaving the Land of Earth... Jūri, I'm counting on you this time." 

"Nonō, aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" 

Jūri stepped out of the shadows, approaching them. 

Unlike Kakashi's formal "Lady Yakushi," Jūri's tone was more familiar, though there was no warmth, only a hint of mockery. 

"If Danzō were still alive, I'd fight you to the death," Nonō said, adjusting her glasses with a gentle smile that made her seem like she was greeting an old friend. Whether they were truly friends was debatable, but they definitely knew each other well. 

After all, both were elite members of Root. 

"But Danzō is dead now, isn't he? I don't know much about the Fifth Hokage, but I trust this Kakashi fellow isn't the type to lie." 

"Your instincts are as annoyingly sharp as ever!" 

Jūri scoffed. 

"Lady Yakushi, you and Jūri can catch up later. Right now, we need to get out of here!" Kakashi interrupted their reunion, glancing at the valley, which was almost swallowed by darkness. 

"You're right." 

Nonō nodded with a smile. "Then I'll leave it to you, Jūri." 

Jūri shot Kakashi a glare but didn't disobey her captain's orders. She quickly drew on a scroll, and soon, a giant eagle soared into the sky, carrying the group of five southward. 

By the time the sun had fully set, a group of Iwagakure shinobi arrived from the south. Looking at the devastated valley, they were deeply puzzled. After searching the area for any sign of Kakashi's group and finding none, they could only leave in disappointment.